Chapter 4: The Daughter He Hid
Elena opened the door before I could stop her.
Victoria entered, followed by Charles.
“Get her out,” Charles told Elena.
Elena lifted her chin.
“She owns the house.”
Victoria removed her veil and laid it across the kitchen counter.
“David bought the property for his mother,” she said.
“He asked me to manage the details.”
“I asked you to arrange the closing,” David said from the doorway.
He walked in holding his phone.
His wedding jacket was unbuttoned, and his face looked older than it had the night before.
Victoria turned.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“My mother is here.”
“She refused every offer you made.”
“I never spoke to her about this house.”
“You signed the instructions.”
Victoria took a folded document from her bag and pushed it toward him.
David read the first page.
His mouth tightened.
“That is my signature.”
My fingers slipped from the chair.
“You signed away my mail?”
“No, Mom.
I authorized Victoria to coordinate the purchase, maintenance, and monthly support.”
“And then you never called to ask if I liked the house?”
His eyes filled.
“I thought you wanted distance.”
“Because I didn’t thank you for gifts I never received?”
“I should have come to see you.”
“But you didn’t.”
The words left my mouth quietly.
David flinched as if I had shouted them.
“I let someone else take care of being your son,” he said.
“I signed papers and called it love.”
My legs finally gave way.
Elena caught my arm before I reached the floor.
“Sit with me,” she said.
She lowered herself beside my chair rather than standing over me.
Lily came halfway down the stairs.
“Is the lady all right?”
“She will be,” Elena answered.
“Bring the blue box from my room.”
Victoria stepped forward.
“That box is private.”
Elena stood.
“It has her name on it.”
Lily returned with a blue metal box.
Elena placed it on the table and opened it.
Inside were bank receipts, copied envelopes, and printed messages from Charles.
David picked up one message.
Deliveries for the owner come to the office first.
Remove cards, jewelry, and personal notes.
Do not forward anything.
He looked at Charles.
“You ordered this.”
Charles folded his arms.
“I followed the arrangement Victoria gave me.”
Victoria laughed once.
“That proves nothing.”
Elena pulled out her lease.
“Your name is here as supervising agent.”
Victoria tapped David’s document.
“And your name is there.
If this goes any further, everyone will see that David authorized Mercer Household Services.”
David stared at her.
“Are you threatening me on our wedding morning?”
“I am reminding you that your company has investors.
They will not enjoy seeing your signature attached to questionable transfers.”
Charles placed a checkbook on the table.
“Let’s solve this privately.
Your mother can receive every dollar she believes she is owed.”
“Believes?” I asked.
He uncapped a pen.
“Name a reasonable amount.”
I pushed the checkbook back.
“You kept my son’s letters.”
“I managed correspondence.”
“You rented my house.”
“I protected an asset.”
“You gave away my bracelet.”
His jaw tightened.
“Careful.”
Elena opened another envelope.
“There’s something else.”
She placed a birth certificate beside the lease.
Charles Mercer was named as her father.
David looked from Elena to Victoria.
Victoria’s face went white.
Elena pointed to a handwritten clause attached to her lease.
“She let me live here if I promised never to tell David that I was her sister.”
David turned slowly toward his bride.
Victoria reached for the document.
May you like
Lily snatched it first.
“Mom,” she said, backing away, “why is Aunt Victoria trying to take it?”
